Music: Teen-friendly songs affirming mental health

These songs come from a show, Steven Universe, that my high school students have expressed to be wholesome and helpful in exploring their identities. I found their message to be very cathartic and incredibly healthy in affirming anyone's journey of self-exploration and recovery from trauma.

I have organized them by theme below. If you give them a listen, I hope you enjoy!

• Overcoming avoidance & shame by facing the truth with help – True Kinda Love (youtube) (lyrics)

• Growing up - Independent Together (youtube - spoilers) (lyrics)

• Permission to be yourself - Be Wherever You Are (youtube) (lyrics)

• Affirming self-dignity but inviting understanding - Change Your Mind (youtube) (lyrics)

• Intrusive thoughts, spiraling, & mindfulness - Here Comes A Thought (youtube) (lyrics)

• Starting over after abuse - Found (youtube - spoilers) (lyrics)

• Two enemies reconciling over a shared grief - Both of You (youtube) (lyrics)

(P.S. I am of the opinion that this 2-min clip is essential viewing for any nonbinary or lgbt kid right now.)

Do Now (4x): Science of Adolescent Sleep (Silent Sustained Reading)

Students asking for a quiet week? Start class with a 5-minute reading task that follows up with a few reading comprehension and discussion questions. My students reported it was helpful for their understanding of sleep and neuroscience. We used this for my physiology class to link homeostasis (or endocrinology) with neuroscience.

Goal: Investigate how sleep deficit affects the structure and function of the human body

Sources:

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep#4

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2681062/

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/22/well/family/the-science-of-adolescent-sleep.html

http://vuir.vu.edu.au/467/1/teenagesleep.pdf